A recent study from Johns Hopkins, using national data from 2013–2020, reveals that tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes could be prevented annually if cholesterol-lowering therapies were used according to clinical guidelines.

Among U.S. adults aged 40–75, 47% qualified for lipid-lowering treatment for primary prevention, yet only 23% received it.

In those with prior cardiovascular events (secondary prevention), where 100% should be treated, only 68% were on therapy

If guideline-based treatment were fully implemented, it could prevent nearly 100,000 non-fatal heart attacks, 65,000 strokes, and thousands of bypass surgeries and stent procedures each year.

This would also save an estimated $30.6 billion in healthcare costs annually.

The underuse of these therapies is attributed to several factors: physician knowledge gaps, inconsistent patient preferences, limited access, misaligned financial incentives, and the complexity of applying guidelines in routine clinical settings.

To close this gap, the study recommends improving patient education, streamlining guideline use in clinical workflows, and considering non-statin cholesterol-lowering drugs where needed. 

Overall, better adherence to established lipid management guidelines could significantly reduce cardiovascular disease burden and improve public health outcomes across the United States.Click here to read more